RECENT READS #3 | TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

'I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.'

To Kill a Mockingbird has always been one of those books that has always been on the list of books to read sometime, but somehow I never got round to reading it. My friend never finished reading the book when she had to do it as part of her English GCSE, and even my Mum, also a book lover, had never read such a classic. It left me in confusion of why such a popular book had not been read by my friends and family, and it was only until Harper Lee passed away in February this year that I felt like it was the time to see why it's such a well known and well-loved novel.

I started reading it on the plane journey to Las Vegas a couple of weeks back, and I managed to get completely hooked I didn't watch a single movie on the 10 hour flight. 

It is narrated by Scout, the daughter of the lawyer Finch, as she recollects her childhood. The story revolves around Scout's father, Atticus Finch, defending a black man who is accused of raping a young white girl. Although by the ending justice has not prevailed, as Lee is depicting the realism of 1930s America, in a sense justice is represented by Atticus's morals. He is more liberal and sympathetic in the situation, despite how the rest of Maycomb show contempt due to him defending a black man. Themes of prejudice, justice and racism are shown as Scout grows up and the reader follows her and her discoveries of what was everyday life in the 1930s. The moral to only judge people on their wrongdoings rather than being deluded by racial prejudice, is Lee's prominent message even though the battle against prejudice is not won.

After finishing it, it was all I could think about, a book where I couldn't quite work out what it was that impacted me. Probably the realisation that it is so well-loved for a reason, a moving novel, beautifully written, not just another famous book and not just another tick off my reading list. 

Let me know your thoughts on this book :)

Emma x

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